Sealing-wax.



"wA'nrEn-o. sn'ELLIne, or'rrrrszeunen, PENNSYLVANIA,

\ SEALING-WAX.

To, all mom concern filler, and suitable coloring matter. In certain grades, the filler is ordinary rosin, while in other varieties, the binder may be shellac i or anyone of a largenumber of gums and 20 waxes.

The binding materials which are suitable for use in sealing wax are more or less inflammable, and for certain uses, notably in electrical fixtures and appliances, this inflammability is a serious source of danger. For example, electric terminal bushings, plugs, sockets and household lighting fixtures are very commonly sealed with rosin sealing Wax, containing about.50% of rosin, and a device of this kind may easily be the source of a dangerous fire, since the sealing .wax readily ignites when unduly heated.

Such overheating'may occur either through arcing and other irregular current condltions, or through exposure to external heat.

According to my present invention, pre; pare sealing wax compositions containing fire-extinguishing ingredients, which effectually prevent the waxes from takingfire, and which in no way impair their plast1c1ty The suitable fire-extinishing ingredients comprise a considerable number of substances, but I prefer to employ certain polyhalogenated carbon compounds, such as the chlorm polysubstltution products of ethane, propane, naphthalene and other hydrocarbons. Of these polyhalogenated bod1es,'I find that the following are effective agents for my present purpose: ethane pentabrom d, C HBr ethane hexachlorid, C 01 propane pentachlorid, 0 1-1 61 propane hexachlorld, O H,Gl,; propane heptachlorid, G HCl,; propane octachlorid, C CL, naphthalene tetrachlorid, Q H Ch; hexachlor benzol, C CI hexa- Speeification oi Letters Patent. Pateilted' spti l l, 7.

Application filed. October 14, 1915. Serial No. 55,755.

brom butane, C,H Br hexabrom ethane, (1 151 and mixed substitution compounds contalnlng more than one of the halogens,

such as tetrachloridbrom-ethane, C 01 1312 All of' these substanceshave high vapor pressures at or below the igniting point of the usual' sealing wax binders, and yield vapors which neither burn nor support comorrron search tics-ts bustion. I do not desire to be restricted to the use of these specific substances, or of this. class of substances, .since any material, or mixture of materials, having the requisite properties, may be employed within the scope of my invention.

Any of the usual sealing wax compositions may be modified according to my invention, by adding one or more of the foregoing fire-extinguishing substances, or their equivalents. -For example, one good composition for electrical insulation is made by mixing about to parts of pulverized calcium carbonate, 45 parts of rosin, 10 parts of ethane hexachlorid and part of dry ver milion or other suitable pigment.

Another effective composition, of finer texture, is made by mixing about 30 parts of precipitated chalk, Gil; part-s ofv shellac, 5 parts of chlorinated naphthalene and of dry VGI'llllllOIl or other pigment. In

both of these compositions, the fusible, in-- flammable resin is mutually soluble with the fire-extinguishing substance that is employed, and the resulting products are homogeneous, brittle masses, containing in suspension any fillers that may be used.

My invention is by no means limited to the substances and proportions mentioned above, which are intended to be merely illustrative. I desire to claim broadly the addition of fire-preventing or extinguishing substances to sealing waxes and other plastics and no limitations are to be imposed upon my invention except such as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Sealing wax containing rosin and a solid or semi-solid, vaporizable fire-extinguishing substance.

2. Sealing wax containing rosin anda solidor semi-solid halogenated carbon compound. f a

3. Sealing wax comprising rosin, a filling material, a coloring material and a vaporizable solid or semi-solid fire-extinguishing substance.

part

4. Sealing Wax comprising rosin, a filling material, a coloring material and a solid. or

" semi-solid halogenated carbon compound.

' and ethane licxaohlorid.

7. Sea-ling waxc'ompnsing substantially equal parts of an inflammable resinous sub stance and a filler, ands substant-mllyless proportion of a solid or semi-solid vaporizable fire-extinguishing substance.

8. Sealing Wax comprising about 45 parts of an inert filler, about 405 parts of'an 111-15 flammable resinous substance and about 10 parts of a vaporize-bio I11'Q-8Xtmgl11$3l1lng substance. 7 l

9. Sealing wax comprising aboufiopafts of an inert filler, about partsi'fi' 0531 29,;

and about 10 parts of ethane bexalchlorid. 1 In testimony whereof, it have hereunto subscribed my name this 6th (lay of 1915. I WALTER o. SNELLING;

Witnesses:

M, R. M KEOWN, J. G. KAISER.

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